Kyauktaw, Arakan state– A 9-year-old Rohingya child was falsely accused of stoning a Rakhine bus on pilgrimage to Mahamuni Buddha temple in Kyauktaw township at 7AM on 18th April 2014. Rakhine extremists extorted Kyat 0.25 million from his parents to resolve the case.

“Around 7AM yesterday (i.e. on 18th April 2014), a group of Rakhine pilgrims on a bus was passing by a Rohingya village called PaikThay Auksu Ywa Thit (Poktoli, Zailla Fara). They were coming from Sittwe for pilgrimage to Mahamuni Temple in Kyauktaw township. As they were passing by, they suddenly started shouting out. They accused a 9-year-old Rohingya child (playing with his other two younger brothers by the village) of stoning their bus and breaking its glass.

The child and his brothers affirmed that he didn’t stone the bus. So, we think they (the Rakhines on the bus) might deliberately did the scene to creat unrest in the region. And around 100 Rakhine extremists within a few minutes. They attempted to attack Rohingyas” said a local Rohingya in the township.

“However, the concerned administrator of the village was quick and efficient enough to talk to the Rakhines to resolve the issue. The Rakhine extremists demanded Kyat 0.25 million as compensation for breaking the glass of the bus. The parents of the child are very poor. They were unable to pay the money they demanded. Hence, Rohingyas raised he money after Friday prayer to give them to the Rakhines for allegedly breaking the glass of the bus by the boy. The name of the boy is Osman (Age 9) (son of) Bashir Ahmed and he’s from the above-mentioned village” he added.